Hide and Peep
by AaronCottrell97
Summary: Thomas, Emily, Percy and Rosie have finished work early, so to pass the time they decide to play "Hide and Peep". Unlike the last time they played, Thomas lets Percy be the one to look for the hiders, with no tricks.


It had been a few days since the Steam Team was assembled, with Nia and Rebecca as the new members. As such, things were calming down on Sodor once again. Gordon and Rebecca were now good friends after she had caused some confusion without delay and then helped Gordon over Flying Scotsman's teasing. And today was a generally calm one too for Thomas, Percy and Emily. They had all been working well that day. Thomas was simply working on his Branch Line, Percy carried the mail, and Emily had been making several goods deliveries along the line. After a fairly good day of work, it would seem that these engines would find a chance to have some fun together.

That afternoon, Thomas, Percy and Emily all met at the yards at the same time.

"Hello, Emily, and Percy," said Thomas.

"Hi, Thomas," Percy and Emily said together. "How was your day?"

"Really useful, as always," said Thomas. "And you two?"

"We both did well too, Thomas," said Percy. "Since we're finished for the afternoon, do yo think we could do something together?"

"Hmm. I wonder," Thomas pondered. Then the three engines saw another engine coming toward them. One they had not seen for a very long time since her repaint and transfer to Vicarstown Station.

"Hello, everyone!"

"Rosie!" whistled Thomas. "Hello! What are you doing here?"

"It's been a long time, Rosie!" peeped Percy.

"Hello to you all," said Rosie.

"Rosie? We thought you'd be at Vicarstown shunting all the trains that arrive there," said Emily.

"Well, it's not very busy at Vicarstown right now, and Henry offered to arrange any trains that come in at least until the evening so I could see some of you again."

"I see. Well, it's lovely to see you again," said Thomas.

"Well, since we're all finished our share of work, and since I've found some time for the three of you, what shall we do?" asked Rosie.

Thomas thought for a moment, then got an idea. He remembered when he and Emily were given a day with no work and had great fun together. Perhaps they could do it again with Rosie and Percy.

"Shall we all play 'Hide and Peep'?" he suggested.

"Hide and Peep?" asked Rosie.

"Yes," said Thomas. "Except this time, I won't be the one seeking."

"Really, Thomas?" asked Emily. "I remember when you and I played, and I had a chance too."

"Well, now that I think about it, I think Percy should have a chance to be the finder."

Percy suddenly perked up. "Me?" he asked. "Really, Thomas?"

"Of course, Percy," said Thomas. "I think you deserve that chance, especially after what went wrong when you and I played it together."

"What went wrong, Thomas?" asked Rosie.

"It was several years ago, Rosie," said Thomas. "One day, Percy and I were at Brendam Docks, waiting for a cargo ship to arrive so we could pick up its load and deliver it. Cranky could see the ship was going to be late. So I decided to play that game while we waited. I told Percy to go hide, then I'd find him. Percy was sure he'd never find me. He was the best hider, and I was the best finder."

"Cranky wanted to join in, but he's a crane. He couldn't hide at all. So I left to hide," said Percy.

"Then I left to find Percy," said Thomas. "I puffed past platforms, steamed by sidings, and wheeshed alongside warehouses…but I could see Percy was very good at hiding. He was nowhere to be seen. That is until I went inside one of the bigger warehouses. I still hadn't found Percy. But then, I decided to play a trick on him. I pretended I knew where he was, and I whistled to find him…but he came out of a smaller shed behind me. He was cross."

Percy remembered that day and went on. "So I went to hide again, telling Thomas not to trick him again. When he set off again, he still couldn't find me anywhere. But then he got another idea, and pretended that the Fat Controller had arrived, so he called to me that he was here. I was hiding in the coal hopper, so I came down, was excited to see that the Fat Controller was there…but he wasn't. By then, I was getting cross. It wasn't fair at all. Thomas promised not to trick me again. That time, I went to find Rocky. I told him I was being tricked through that game, and he decided to help me out and hid me under the dock's channel."

"Really?" said Rosie.

"I kept looking for Percy, but everywhere I looked, I could not find him. But then I found the Dock Manager. He was looking for Percy, and me. By then, the ship had arrived, and we had to collect our deliveries. So I called for Percy."

"I heard him, but I thought he was trying to trick me again," said Percy. "So, I stayed hidden under the channel."

"I knew Percy thought I was tricking him again," said Thomas. "But I also knew he'd be in trouble if he didn't collect his deliveries. I rushed over to Cranky and told him Percy was still hiding. By then, I had come to find that I wasn't such a good finder."

"And Cranky's too tall to be a good hider," Percy grinned.

"Then I remembered how Cranky could see all the way out to sea to the cargo ship, and so, I asked him if he could find Percy for me, so he wouldn't be in trouble. He looked around, and he saw Percy and Rocky by the channel."

"Hmm. That was clever of you, Percy," said Emily. "Rocky was good to help you out."

"I was surprised that Thomas had found me," said Percy. "When he told me it was Cranky who found me, I thought I was tricked once again, until Thomas told me about the deliveries again. And so, we both hurried and were soon ready to leave. Cranky was very pleased to be a good finder, and that's how that game turned out for us."

"But ever since that day, I decided not to cheat with anyone I played that game with," said Thomas. "Especially when Emily and I were given a day of no work to do. I would never cheat with her. We both played fairly together."

"I remember that day, Thomas," said Emily. "And after hearing that little story, I think we should let Percy be the finder. What do you think, Rosie?"

"I agree," said Rosie. "We'll all go hide, and Percy can find us. This might be interesting."

"I'm not really sure," said Percy. "As I said to Thomas, I'm the best hider. I've never been the finder before."

"Don't worry, Percy," said Emily. "I'm sure you can do it. Thomas was able to find me, as was I to find him."

"It will be fun for all of us," said Thomas. "What do you say, Percy. Shall we hide, and you peep?"

Percy thought for a moment, then smiled. "I'll see what I can do. Now all of you go hide!"

Thomas, Emily and Rosie all whistled and quickly left the yards. To make sure they would all have a chance to hide somewhere, Percy waited for five full minutes. Then he blew his whistle.

"Here I come, Thomas, Emily and Rosie!" And he set off down the line on his first game of "Hide and Peep," with him as the finder…

Percy huffed along the line, past stations and sidings, looking left and right for any signs of Thomas, Emily or Rosie. He decided to look for Rosie first. He figured she'd be easy to find with her cherry-red coat showing well against the mainly green background around him. One thing he knew for certain, he would not play any unfair tricks on any of the engines like Thomas did. He wanted this to be fun for himself and for his friends too, but he also wanted this game to be an exciting one, so he kept himself prepared to take any engines he would find by surprise.

Percy looked and looked for almost an hour with no luck. Everywhere he had been so far, he couldn't find any of the engines he was looking for, and he just began to feel disappointed.

"This is getting difficult," he said to himself. "I hope I won't be seen as an unsuccessful finder."

But then as Percy passed by a signal box, he thought he saw a flicker of cherry-red behind it. He suddenly stopped where he was and wondered if he had found his first engine. He suddenly smiled slyly, and very quietly reversed back to the signal box, then switched to the proper line. He moved forward as quietly as he could, then suddenly rushed forward.

"Aha!" he exclaimed.

"Oh! Goodness!" There was Rosie. She jumped, then laughed. "Good find, Percy. You got me!"

"Found you, Rosie!" Percy whistled. "Did I surprise you?"

"You certainly did," said Rosie. "I've been waiting for quite a while. I wondered if I would ever be found."

"Well, I feel good finding you now," said Percy.

"It's been nearly an hour so far. Have you found anyone else yet, Percy?" asked Rosie.

"Well…no," Percy said, a little disappointed. "Thomas and Emily are still hiding…" Then his eyes fell upon David, who was walking along the road beside the line.

"…But I found David!" Percy suddenly said as he peeped his whistle. David stopped and looked at the two engines.

"I found you, David!" Percy called.

David merely replied with a riddle. "You cannot find what isn't lost." And he strode away down the road.

"I don't think David is in the mood to play," Rosie pondered. "Come on, Percy. I can help you find the others."

So Percy and Rosie set off down the line together to find Thomas or Emily next. Percy now felt more confident about being a finder, and having Rosie there to help him made it even more fun. They huffed along the line for several minutes more, until Percy spoke again.

"Now, where would Emily hide?" he asked himself.

"Well, she is emerald green, Percy," said Rosie. "She might be hiding in a siding full of bushes, or low-lying tree branches. She wouldn't be easy to see that way."

"Oh. You're right, Rosie," said Percy. "Maybe we should check for bushes then."

It wasn't long before the two engines came to a part of the line with several trees.

"Go on, Percy. See if you can find her," said Rosie.

"Okay. Here I go," said Percy. He set off further down the line while Rosie waited.

Percy looked carefully now, looking for any sign or sound of movement from Emily. He knew this wouldn't be easy with her emerald coat hidden within the green bushes and leaves, but he was determined to be just as good a finder as he was a hider.

Then about ten minutes after, Percy suddenly stopped nearby a siding with thick bushes and a large tree with long, low-lying branches. He looked even harder, and thought he could see some yellow lining through the trees. It looked quite a bit like yellow lined paint. Percy suddenly perked up again and very slowly made his way into the siding. He carefully pushed his way through the thick leaves, inching forward bit by bit.

He finally cleared his way through the branches of the tree, and there was Emily, having a peaceful nap. Percy thought she looked lovely, sleeping in the shade of the trees with a gentle smile. Then he decided to surprise her.

"Emily? I found you, Emily!" Percy whistled as he buffered to her and kissed her nose.

Emily suddenly woke up to Percy's kiss. "Oh my! Looks like I'm found," she giggled. Then she kissed Percy's cheek. "Good work, little Percy."

She followed Percy out of the siding and saw Rosie. "Well, Percy found you too, Rosie?" said Emily.

"He did, Emily," said Rosie.

"Maybe I am a good finder," said Percy. "Let's find Thomas now."

And Percy, Rosie and Emily all went together, making their way back down the line to find Thomas. Percy was feeling even more proud of himself. He had managed to find two engines now, and it was all going quite well. He couldn't wait to find Thomas and surprise him, wherever he would be.

"Now, where would Thomas hide?" asked Percy. "I found Rosie behind a signal box, then found Emily hiding in the trees and bushes…"

"He's around somewhere, Percy," Emily assured.

The three engines kept going further and further, but still didn't find Thomas. But then, as they began to pass through Knapford Yards, Percy glanced over to the shed, and suddenly stopped again.

"What is it, Percy?" asked Emily.

"I have a very good sense…that Thomas is hiding in there. The Love Shed," Percy winked.

"Hmm…he might be, Percy. There's a chance. Would you like to try?"

Percy smiled. "Yes, Emily. I would…but, I'll need a little help from you."

"What's that?" asked Emily.

Percy whispered something to Emily, who formed a playful smile in return.

"Okay," she whispered.

Percy winked and slowly approached the sheds while Emily followed beside him. Then as soon as Percy was about a yard away from the doors, he carried out his little plan. Something he had done once before to Thomas after he had called Percy silly about the story of the Ghost Train.

"Peep…peep! Peep-peep-peep…peep! Let me in! Let me in!" wailed Percy.

"No, no! Not by the smoke on my chimney-chim-chim!" Emily shuddered, winking to Percy.

"I'll chuff, and I'll puff, and I'll break your door in!" And Percy suddenly charged the sheds and threw doors open in a flash, whistling loudly.

"AGH! Cinders and Ashes, Percy!" Thomas was right in the sheds and he reversed with alarm, right to the back, hitting the buffers.

"Found you, Thomas!" Percy laughed. Then Thomas laughed too as he came out of the sheds then saw Emily and Rosie outside too. "Goodness, Percy, you found them too!"

"So, my first game of 'Hide and Peep,' as the finder," said Percy. "How did I do?"

"Take a look, Percy. You found us all," said Thomas.

"Well done, Percy. This was a lot of fun," said Rosie. "I think I'd better return to Vicarstown now, to let Henry rest and get back to my own work. I really enjoyed today."

"Goodbye, Rosie," the three other engines whistled as she made her way down the line, back to Vicarstown.

"Well, that was fun, Percy. Thank you," said Emily. "You are a clever little one, and I'm proud that you managed to find us all."

"So am I, Percy," added Thomas. "I think you're the best hider, and finder too!"

"Really?" asked Percy.

"Yes. You found all of us, and played no tricks. You've made this a very fun afternoon."

"Thank you, Thomas," said Percy. "And it was fun having more engines to play the game with. I think you're all the best engines to play this game with."

Percy peeped his whistle, then he, Thomas and Emily laughed together. It had been a simple, but very fun day for all of them.

* * *

Yeah, so this one really isn't anything spectacular, but not every story needs to be. This will also be the last story for a little while, since Jeremy and I are both getting ready for college, in my case I'm going into my third year in about two weeks from now. So yeah, we'll be super busy, and honestly, we both need a break from writing for awhile, we'll still be doing it, but don't expect any new stories during September. We'll hopefully be able to start up again at the start of October, fingers crossed. In meantime, Season 23 is finally airing in the UK next week, granted we've already seen nearly every episode aired in US but at least I won't have to suffer through Joseph May's Thomas voice for much longer. Until then, we hope you enjoyed this simple story, tell what you thought of it and we'll see you all in October, hopefully.


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